For What It's Worth
by dashinginconverse
Summary: After she loses the title, he finds himself wanting to make her smile. ReignsAJ, set during 4/7/14 RAW, oneshot


_**Disclaimer: **__I don't own anything._

_**Summary: After she loses the title, he finds himself wanting to make her smile. ReignsAJ, set during 4/7/14 RAW, oneshot**_

_Okay, here's a little something new! I know I have a bunch of requests I need to get to writing but I just wanted to write this little thing first. I kind of needed to get the creative juices flowing and whatnot, and I've been wanting to write Roman and AJ together for a while. So, here this is. It's kind of just a simple little scene, because I really like doing those, for whatever reason. I just hope y'all enjoy this new oneshot of mine! Thanks so much for reading!_

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**For What It's Worth**

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Now...that was something Roman Reigns had not been expecting.

It had been commonplace to see AJ Lee with that butterfly belt, traipsing about the place with a huge grin on that charming face of hers. Every time he pictured AJ in his mind - which he did more than he would like to admit - it was always with the Divas' title around her thin waist. Usually she was skipping. Usually she was smiling. Usually she was proud.

And then...

Well, she lost the belt.

It had to come some time, he knew. It had to end at some point, no matter how much AJ had wanted it to continue. On and on and on...she'd wanted to be the holder of that title forever. Beth Phoenix had boasted the same thing back when she was with the company and where was she now?

Despite his skepticism, Roman had hoped she would come out on top at Wrestlemania 30 - which she did, against all conceivable odds.

And, as he watched her challenge Paige for her title, he thought that she would retain again. No problem.

But...

One Paige Turner later and there was a new Divas' Champion.

AJ was stunned. The arena was stunned. Roman, definitely, was stunned.

The petite Diva started to throw a fit in the ring, looking grief-stricken as Paige tumbled out of the ring, holding the pink butterfly high above her head with a victorious - and yet, stunned - look on her face. Roman was certain he looked equally as stunned, perhaps bordering on dumbstruck. He was just lucky the other two members of the Shield were still in the locker room at this point, because he could only imagine the odd looks he would receive if they had seen his mouth drop open like it did once the third count had fallen.

Roman could still hear the commentators crowing about the sudden defeat and dethroning of the longest reigning Divas' champ. Upon the screen in front of him, Roman could see Paige retreating backstage and AJ running her hands over her hair, looking ready to yank out the strands in her utter frustration.

His eyes still on the screen, he hardly noticed when Paige herself stumbled slightly backstage, her heavy breathing the only sound in the dead silence, until he turned and settled his gaze on her.

"Congrats," he said, coolly. It felt like the right thing to say, after all.

For a moment he thought the young woman hadn't heard him, but then she looked up, her large, emotion-filled eyes focusing on his frame for a moment before saying, "Thank you."

And then the chaos started, Divas embracing her and expressing congratulations as Paige hugged the championship for dear life, whisked away on a cloud of praise and well-wishes. They ushered her towards the refreshment room, patting her on the back, excited and supportive, the entire division ready for change. Roman smirked slightly, amused and impressed and yet...hollow.

The new champion had long gone when the person he was really interested in seeing wandered by, her fists clenched and her eyes focused firmly ahead on, seeing and unseeing at the same time.

Her bodyguard was no where to be seen. Roman wondered for a moment where Tamina had gone, but the thought was short-lived.

AJ Lee had stopped in her tracks, staring blindly ahead. The powerhouse of the Shield could practically feel the anger rolling off of the petite woman in waves. Her hair was disheveled, her ring gear awkwardly rumpled on her tiny frame, and yet there was...something else Roman couldn't put his finger on.

There was a moment in time where Roman just stared at her as she stared into space. It seemed almost surreal, and Roman wasn't sure what he was looking at in that particular span of time. A woman on the verge of a psychotic breakdown? Or a woman experiencing the momentary worthlessness of not holding the title? Or perhaps even a woman with the weight of the world off her shoulders for the first time in a very long time...

"You can stop staring at me, Roman."

Roman didn't flinch at the way she said his name. He also ignored the fact that this might have be the first time she had said his name, addressed him this way. And it was full of bitterness and an edge that was possibly sharper than any blade in existence.

As she continued, AJ didn't look at him either. "I'm taking some time off."

There was a silence that settled around the two of them, then. Palpable, almost. Tense and taut and full of meaning.

Only after a few minutes of silence did Roman speak, his rumbling voice penetrating the still air.

"Rest up, then," he spoke, trying to choose his words carefully. "And when you return, take back what's rightfully yours."

For a moment it looked like AJ hadn't fully registered what she said, but then she turned to face him.

A smile spread across her face, almost predatory in nature.

"Count on it."

As AJ Lee confidently began to make her way back to the locker room, Roman Reigns couldn't help but follow her every movement and wonder just how long it would take before he would start to miss her.

And, really, that was a silly thought, because he already did.

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_**End.**_


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